Simply put, it’s the best diet to lose weight that works for you and with you. It’s the diet that’s easy to follow and easy to understand. It’s one that does not require a lot of special foods nor one that’s so restrictive that you can’t stand a minute of it any longer. Is there such a diet? Yes, there is!

If you want to lose weight, whether it’s those stubborn 10 pounds or 30 pounds to really slim down, remember two important things. The first is that the calories you consume in a day should be less than the calories you burn doing your normal activities. The second thing is, the less calories you eat and the higher the intensity of your activities, the more pounds you will shed. Do not go on very calorie restrictive diets without checking with your doctors first. There are certain diets that will never be right for you, depending on your general health. If you are taking medications or are allergic to certain kinds of foods, clarify with your doctor what you can do to substitute high calorie foods with low calorie foods. Be smart about your diet. Do not follow diet fads. They don’t work.

When people ask nutrition experts what is the best diet to lose weight fast, the answer will always be, a well-balanced diet that keeps calories in check. It is not a single kind diet. It is not a liquid diet. Those diets are good only if you want a few pounds really quickly. They are not sustainable. The pounds you lose, you will eventually gain back. This is what is called yo-yo dieting. Avoid diets like this so your body’s metabolism is not thrown off. The more balanced your diet is, the sooner your body will adapt to the lower calorie intake so you’re not hungry all the time.

Generally, the ideal calorie intake for women is between 1200 to 1600 calories a day. For men, it’s 1800 to 2000 calories a day. When you’re dieting, keep these numbers in mind. The more calories you add to these recommended numbers, the more activities you should do. Today, there are many diet plans that answer the question, what is the best diet to lose weight by. These diet plans were developed to also help dieters lower their blood pressure, cholesterol levels and still have a well balanced diet. Among these diet plans that are easy to follow are: the DASH diet to help lower blood pressure, the TLC diet to help with your cholesterol levels, the South Beach Diet to encourage over-all good eating habits and the Mayo Clinic Diet that helps you lose weight and also improve your general health. When you compare these diets, keep in mind that weight loss also depends on your body’s metabolism. Some may lose more in a week than you do even if both of you are on the same diet. Do not lose heart. Your body is just slower in adapting to the changes and soon, you will reach your goal of having the desired weight loss.

Experts agree that based on your needs, and after your doctor gives his blessing, you can rank these diets by answering the following questions:

*How easy is this diet to follow? If you’re asking what is the best diet to lose weight by, then the answer to this question should be on top of your list. A diet that requires you to get special equipment for mixing and measuring, or one that requires you to order foods online because they’re so specialized is not a good diet. Yes, for the first few weeks, you’ll have the energy to order everything, pre-measure everything and keep everything labeled and organized. But after some time, especially if you run out of the required food, you will start eating foods outside of your list. This may sabotage yoour whole diet. Resist the urge to follow diet plans that require you to jump through hoops to get the food. Availability and cost factor should be considered when evaluating diet plans.

*Is the diet for short term weight loss or long term weight loss? For most of us, a big event usually finds us trying new outfits or planning what to wear. And soon we’ll realize that if we just lost a pound to five pounds, we’ll be okay. For others, the realization of carrying the same 30 pounds for the last couple of years is the last straw, so we go on a diet. If you just want to lose a pound or two, there are diets that can help you get rid of fluids fast. These diets will help you fit into that dress that was a little snug, or the pair of jeans that couldn’t quite zip up now. But if you’re looking for a long term solution, then those quick and short term diets are not for you. A well balanced diet, with all the food groups and the recommended dietary allowances represented will be the answer to the what is the best diet to lose weight permanently question. Your long term weight loss plan will also result in you having a slimmer, fitter and healthier body. There is no magic to this. Yes, it may require more vigilance on your part, but the end result will be a change in lifestyle that will benefit you and your family!

What is the nutrional value and completeness of this diet and how safe is it? A recent survey asked women, in your opinion, what is the best diet diet to lose weight and why are you using it? The anwers ranged from their best friend is on it to it’s the one that their favorite movie star is currently on. And of course when these stars talk about their diet, you’ll see that they indeed look beautiful and it worked on them. But what they don’t reveal is that they also went to the gym or exercised more. Or they work with a personal trainer who motivates them and makes them move all those muscles so they burn more calories. But since we can’t always have a personal trainer and a private chef, let’s stick with diets that offer a complete and well balanced choices of foods that we can eat. Focus on foods that are available and allowed, rather than foods that don’t make it to the list. This means not dwelling on the donuts or potato chips you have to cut out, but focus instead on the unlimited amounts of apples you can eat. Focus on the lemon water you can sip all day and not dwell on the alcohol and cocktails you have to give up. Your body needs protein and nutrients and fiber. These can stay in your diet because they do the body good. Avoid drastic cuts to the foods you actually need and you’ll feel more satisfied longer.

So, what is the best diet to lose weight fast? It is the diet that you can follow without going hungry. It is the diet that is safe and effective. And it is the diet that will make you reach your goal, whether it’s just 5 pounds you want to lose or 30. And it is the diet that is good for your health and heart.